The Storm
by Akihanah
Summary: Kagome is driven back to her time by Inuyasha, again. But this time, she faces danger in her time. The rating is for language (Inuyasha's, duh), some implied stuff, and a faint slash of citrus, so small you barely notice. please read and review. (by the w


The Storm

Kagome walked faster, trying to shield her face from the onslaught of rain. It had been perfectly clear when she had left her house, the sun shining and promising a beautiful day. She hadn't noticed storm clouds gathering in the sky, as preoccupied as she had been by her thoughts.

_Baka Inuyasha._

It had all started the day before. Kagome had been tired, evidence to a night of little rest. Her sleep had been light of late, plagued with nightmares. The slightest movement in the night would bring her to sudden, painful awareness. Even when she did manage to sleep, her mind was filled with images of Kikyo and Inuyasha together.

But this night had been especially bad. She rose, already hurting as she tried to stretch out to prepare for another day.

It was Shippo who first noticed the shinidamachuu floating in the air above their campsite.

Flashback

"Ahh! Inuyasha! It's the shinidamachuu!" The small kit's cry pierced the morning quiet that had filled the campsite.

"Kikyo wants to see you, Inuyasha. Will you go to her?" Miroku stated, rather bluntly.

Sango and Miroku's eyes immediately flicked to Kagome, who was clearing the remains of breakfast.

Kagome noticed their gaze, and sighed.

"Go ahead, Inuyasha. She wants to see you."

"Kagome-chan" was Sango's soft whisper. If anyone knew of Kagome's ache, it would be her.

Inuyasha turned, and without another word, took off into the forest. The rest of the group nervously watched his fading form and Kagome's rather stiff movements.

It took very little time to break the camp. Then they all sat down to wait for Inuyasha.

They waited. The sky lightened, and the sun slowly traveled across the sky. It had almost reached the top of the sky, and the group was considering lunch, when Inuyasha finally returned.

He did not speak, but it was obvious he was radiating an aura of sadness. It was probably the only thing that kept Sango and Miroku from berating him.

They set out, along the road they had been following for several days. They had been walking for several hours when Kagome felt the effects of her sleepless nights catch up with her. Her pace lessened, and she began to fall behind a little. Her muscles ached, like her entire body was deciding it didn't want to move.

Her foot hit a rock, and she stumbled, and fell. She moaned a little, sprawled out on the dirt. Then she stubbornly rolled back to her feet, and trudged on. Miroku and Sango had both watched her fall, but didn't go back to her when they saw she was getting up.

Miroku was the next to talk. "Ne, Inuyasha, there is a village coming up. I think we should stop there for the night."

Inuyasha snorted. "What, tired, bouzu? We've only been walking for half a day. We can make it to the other side of the mountain."

Miroku shot Inuyasha a glare. The hanyou conveniently missed it.

Kagome stumbled again.

This time Inuyasha swung around. "Come on bitch!" he bellowed. "Can't you fucking keep up!"

Kagome didn't even look up, but continued walking.

This disturbed Inuyasha more. "Oi, bitch! Answer me, damn it!"

Kagome continued walking, calmly passing him.

His hand snaked out to catch on her arm. "What is going on with you?"

Kagome smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, which remained distant. She pulled free and kept walking.

"Bitch! What the fuck is going on? Oi!"

Kagome swung around, her face a mask of fury. "I don't suppose you call Kikyo bitch, do you?" she asked, still maintaining some remnant of calm in her voice, though her face gave no indication she was at all calm.

"Well, Kikyo isn't one, is she?" Inuyasha bellowed back.

Kagome stiffened.

"Well, then, why don't you go stay with Kikyo then, instead of hanging around a bitch. Sango, may I borrow Kirara?"

Sango watched in shock as Kagome mounted Kirara and they flew off into the sky.

Three sets of eyes swiveled to Inuyasha, and three mind voices screamed _Baka!_

Kagome had arrived home, and thrown herself into bed, after locking her window. _I'm never going back. He is such a jerk. _

Her eyes softened._ No, not always. Sometimes, he is nice, and he protects me. But then, he goes and does something like this. Baka._

Kagome hugged her pillow. _He's going to mad, _she thought sadly. _I'm so tired of forgiving him. Every time he does something lie this, I forgive him. It hurts so bad, but…._

She smiled.

_I can't help it._

She slipped into sleep as she lay, holding her pillow like the very fabric of her world was coming apart.

End Flashback

The next morning she had gotten up and walked. She told her family she was going to the library, but she simply walked where her feet felt like taking her. That was how she ended up in the bad end of town, in her school uniform, not the most warm and useful outfit for a rainstorm, fighting to find something she recognized, so she could get home.

_Its not like I really need to go home, really? _Her body was tired, still aching from the constant travel and little sleep she got in the Sengoku Jidai, and even in the present.

Bang.

The next thing Kagome knew, she was laying on her back on the concrete. Her head hurt fiercely, probably the result of hitting it against the wall in front of her. She was soaked through, and terribly cold. It ate into her bones, making movement feel impossible. Suddenly she was lifted, carried by strong arms into the night.

The next thing she was aware of, she was laying somewhere moderately dry, though the cold still swept through everything. Her mind swam, not able to focus on much of anything.

She heard voices.

"What should we do wit the girl, boss? She don't look like she's waking up anytime soon."

"Well, if she doesn't wake up, we'll just throw her back out where she was found. No point in keeping her if we can't have any fun."

She shivered at these voices. _These men, they were the ones who took me? Of course, if I drop unconscious in the middle of yakuza ground, how could I not get noticed? This is all very very bad. _

She thought hard. She still lacked the ability to move, testament to the influence the cold had on her already tired body. She was not even fully aware of what was going on around her. All she could do was listen to the voices.

_If I go back out in the cold, I won't stand a chance. _

Suddenly she heard yells, and the sound of scuffling nearby. Several large things hit the ground, and then she was being lifted. She tried to fight, only to be hushed and cradled against a strong chest.

"Hush Kagome. I'm taking you home."

Kagome felt the person run through the streets, traveling very far in a short time. Finally she felt the presence of Goshinboku. The person took her into the house. She didn't notice much of anything after that, except that at some point her wet things were removed, and she was wrapped in something warm, still cradled in the lap of the one who had rescued her.

Blackness claimed her.

She slowly left the comfortable fog of sleep. It was one of the first times she had slept for a long period of time without waking.

The arms around her tightened, and she was again aware that she was laying in someone's lap. Slowly, she looked up. Golden eyes met hers.

Inuyasha held her close, like he was afraid to lose her, again.

His amber eyes captivated her. Slowly, he leaned in towards her, until his lips were right above hers. He brushed her lips, once twice. The glowing of his eyes made her want to melt on the spot. Before he could lean back, she grabbed him, and pulled him in. The kiss deepened, and for a while neither thought of much of anything.

It was Inuyasha who finally broke it. He pulled her into his chest. She now looked around, startled to find herself in her room, sitting on Inuyasha on her bed.

"What happened?"

"I felt something from the other side of the well. Like something was saying you needed help. So, I went over, to find it pouring rain, and your mother said you were out in it. I found you in a back room of some eating place. You were unconscious, and so cold. I was…" he sighed. "I was scared for you." His eyes shifted back to hers. "Kagome…I'm so sorry. I…I didn't mean what I said, back then. Could-" he gulped. "Could you forgive me?"

Kagome trembled, partly from the cold, and partly from emotion, at hearing something she thought she never would. _He, he actually apologized for something! And, he did save me, back then…_

"Kagome?"

"Of course I forgive you, Inuyasha. How could I not?"

His smile was reward for everything. She smiled back, then shivered. The shivering grew to all out shakes.

Inuyasha's face was a mask of concern. He grabbed some blankets from her bed, and wrapped them around his haori. He still held her close.

"Please, Kagome, get better."

She sighed. It would be awhile before she stopped feeling the effects of being soaked through in the rain.

_At least, I'm happy. For now, let me rest, in his arms. Leave the rest of the problems to some other time._

Kagome drifted into sleep.

**Hello all. Hope you liked it. This is a one shot, by the way. I think its quite good, for being written in about an hour and a half on Monday morning. (well, after midnight counts as Monday morning) Basically, I couldn't sleep, so I went into iTunes and played the music video Fallen by Sarah McLachlan. Several times. The result was this lovely piece. Well, see y'all the next time I get insomnia (soon at this rate)- Akihanah**


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